Tiger Woods says he won’t return until he’s 100% healthy

Tiger Woods is no longer using crutches, a walking boot or a razor. He hasn’t hit a full golf shot in 47 days and has no idea when he will practice, much less play in another tournament.

All he could say with certainty Tuesday was that he would not return until he was fully healthy.

“Usually I set a timetable when I want to come back and play when I’ve had injuries before,” Woods said at the AT&T National at Newtown Square, Pa., which benefits his foundation. “This one is different. I’m going to learn my lesson from what I did at the Players and apply it this time and come back when I’m 100%. I don’t know when that’s going to be.”

Although he did not rule out the British Open, which starts July 14 at Royal St. George’s, he made it sound as though he would miss another major championship.

“I wouldn’t go over there just to show up,” he said. “I’d go over there to win the golf tournament, so I need to obviously get my body ready so I can practice, and eventually play.”

Woods has not played since May 12 when he withdrew after nine holes from the Players championship. That was his first tournament since “minor injuries” to his left knee and Achilles’ from an awkward stance in the pine straw in the third round at the Masters.

He said it was borderline whether he should have played at the TPC Sawgrass, a decision he now regrets. Had he skipped the Players, Woods said, he would be playing now.

Assuming he misses the British Open, the next tournament Woods typically plays is the Bridgestone Invitational, which starts Aug. 4 and precedes the final major championship of the year.

Woods said he would be surprised if the year ended without him playing again.

ETC.

Goodell, Smith in talks

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith flew to Florida together Tuesday night to speak to rookies after opening four days of labor talks in Minnesota.

Spokesmen for the league and the players’ association confirmed that the two power brokers were on the same plane from Minnesota to address the NFLPA’s rookie symposium on Wednesday morning.

SI.com first reported that both Goodell and Smith were on their way to the joint appearance. Smith asked Goodell to speak to the group at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Fla., and the commissioner agreed.

Both men were planning to return to Minneapolis Wednesday and continue the labor talks. The discussions between Goodell and Smith on Tuesday included no players or owners, according to several people familiar with the situation. They said the two sides were planning to meet through Friday.

Eight players from Mexico’s team for the Copa America were suspended Tuesday for six months for violating team training rules.

Mexican federation officials said at a news conference they would not disclose details. News reports in Mexico said the incidents took place in Ecuador during training and involved players having female guests in their rooms.

The players named are: Israel Jimenez, Nestor Vidrio, Jonathan Dos Santos, Marco Fabian, Jorge Hernandez, Javier Cortes, David Cabrera and Nestor Calderon.

Keion Bell, who led Pepperdine in scoring each of his three seasons, will transfer to Missouri to play under new basketball Coach Frank Haith. The 6-foot-3 guard will sit out a year and has one year of eligibility remaining.